


As the Moon and the Stars

by Artemysia93



Series: The Judgment of Persephone [2]
Category: Ancient Egyptian Religion, Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Egyptian Mythology
Genre: Afterlife, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Egyptian Deities, Ancient Egyptian Literature & Mythology, Atheism, Death, Dialogue Heavy, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friendship/Love, Furry, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Long-Distance Relationship, Multi, Multiple Religion & Lore Sources, Non-Graphic Violence, Pagan Gods, Poliamory, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Religion, Sarcasm, Sequel, Spin-Off, Teasing, Time Skips, Underworld, translated work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 12:06:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24849484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemysia93/pseuds/Artemysia93
Summary: Caterina has been invited by Anubis in his Luxor residence: everything else is known. But what exactly happened between them during that short stay? And most importantly, did they stay in contact in the following years, despite the prophecy issued by the jackal God? A short novel that will go deeper into the personalities of the two secondary characters of "The Judgment of Persephone". Through them, it will deal with the themes of polyamory, the weight of the soul and the passing of time.***ATTENTION PLEASE***This is a spin-off story, from the book "The Judgment of Persephone", which you can find on my profile. For a better understanding of the events, it's recommended to read the main book up to at least chapter 29. Thanks!
Relationships: Anubis (Ancient Egyptian)/Original Character(s)
Series: The Judgment of Persephone [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797703
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	1. Time to sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Hi again, folks! I suppose many of you are here after reading "The Judgment of Persephone". If, on the contrary, you're new readers, I warn you that this is a spin-off story and that it's better to read the main book until at least chapter 29.
> 
> We will obviously speak of Anubis and Caterina, secondary characters of the book. In particular, we will talk about what happened between them during the stay in Luxor, we will analyze Anubis' prophecy, and we will also take a loot at their future. The main theme of the plot is about time and the heaviness of the heart. Also, we'll talk about poliamory and Anubis' group lifestyle. There's not much talk of polyamory, or in any case of non-monogamous life choices, which are often reduced to "excuses for cheating", even in an era that fortunately is working on the inclusiveness of many other sexual choices. Before starting, a few notes!
> 
> \- I'm not an english native speaker. I'm a writer in Italy and I'm trying to translate this book/saga in order to reach a wider audience. If you incurr in any mistake, feel totally free to correct me! And if you want to read the italian version, it's on Wattpad: [Come la Luna e le Stelle](https://www.wattpad.com/story/205765949-come-la-luna-e-le-stelle).  
> \- About languages: there will be some dialogues in arabic/ancient egyptian. Actually, it's NOT a real language: I always try to be as realistic as possible, but translating in real ancient egyptian was way beyond my skills; so, I invented the language, mixing some ancient egyptian and arabic words, but it's a big poetic license. All these phrases will be translated in the notes (I hope the links work, you should be able to click on the number and see the translation).  
> \- This spin-off is a little more difficult to bear compared to the main book. There will be angst, serious issues about past trauma, references to violence (mostly non-graphic), and a lot of speaking about death, funerals, and so on. So, don't expect it to be too light-hearted, especially in the second part. But I'm sure Anubis' happy attitude will comfrot you during your reading!  
> \- This is also slightly more explicit compared to the main work, sexually speaking. There is one, huge and detailed scene which CAN cause a little discomfort, because of the OBVIOUS not-entirely-human nature of Anubis and his concubines. Also, of course there's group sex involved. So, please, read it if you're grown/mature enough and only if you don't find these two "weird" ascpects too intimidating. Thanks!  
> \- This is registered copyright material, don't steal or Anpu will claw you to death and Horus will eat your liver.  
> \- And finally, enjoy your reading and don't be shy, I love your comments!

Hot.

Too hot, really. And it was just February.

Caterina had always suffered from the heat. She was one who loved autumn and cuddling in a rainy foggy day watching Netflix. Honestly, she wondered how it was possible that in a country like Egypt there could be sustainable life.

She was thinking about this her first night in Luxor, in Anubis’ residence. She turned over in the fine sheets, sweaty, disgusted by herself. The night was so dense that it seemed possible to swim in it. The Gods and Pharaohs of the frescoes seemed to peer at her with their eyes in profile, and that didn’t help her sleep.

In the end, she decided to get up. Rolling in the sheets would only make her more nervous.

She got up, panting already. There wasn’t even air-conditioning. Actually, she hadn’t seen anything electrical, not even a plug, and it occurred to her that her cell phone was almost out of battery. 

Gods. So cool, so almighty, and then who had it been to discover electricity? (Yeah, who had it been? She didn’t know right now, but not a God for sure).

She leaned over the bedside table and lit the oil lamp with her lighter, to chase away that blanket of darkness which was clutching her like a straitjacket. As soon as she did, the frescoes became less threatening, the room seemed to return warm and welcoming. Outside, the full moon was illuminating the Nile, that flowed blissfully, in complete silence.

Caterina decided to take a stroll. She actually wanted to read something or check social media, but she couldn’t charge her cell phone and, to be honest, she wanted to lurk around. She was in a God’s mansion, after all: it wasn’t something it’s not every day. Maybe she could find the source of eternal youth and, well, _stumble_ into it _by accident_. It was a possibility not to be excluded.

She put on her flip-flops and went out. She didn’t bother to dress, she remained in her shirt and shorts. Anubis didn’t seem one to disapprove of déshabillé, anyway.

Just outside, she was pleased to find the hallway’s lightning on, only in a slightly subdued way given the late hour. Along all the walls of beige sandstone, there was a decorative section in solid gold, carved with hieroglyphics: it reflected the light of the torches and it gave Caterina the idea of being in a jewelry box.

The girl decided to walk all the way down the corridor. Then, when she met another perpendicular one, she decided to go along that too. She kept the turns in mind, afraid of getting lost.

Finally, she arrived in an internal courtyard. There was a deep and rectangular fountain, in the center of which there was the statue of a jackal, sitting and with long, straight ears, pointed towards the sky. All around, from the walls of the perimeter, green climbing plants and vines.

Caterina reached the fountain and sunk her hand in the water. She wondered if it was some kind of holy water, and if her gesture was disrespectful. And right there, when she looked up, she noticed it: on the other side of the courtyard, there was Anubis. Yes, the real one, not the statue.

He was leaning against the wall of the opposite porch, halfway between two columns, his arms folded. He was looking at her with his head tilted to the side, intrigued. Beside him, a huge golden door: it must be his room.

Caterina composed herself and, not knowing what to do, raised a hand in greeting.

Anubis didn’t return. He stood motionless with his arms crossed. Caterina, from afar, was no longer sure he wasn't a statue.

"Caterina, nice to see you!" he finally said, giving her a sign that he was alive, “What brings you here?”.

The girl shrugged and pursed her lips.

"I’m hot, I was walking around."

She wasn't sure how to behave. She had happened in the wrong place, that was for sure. Maybe that was the private courtyard of the God and it wasn't exactly orthodox that she was lurking there in her underwear. But Anubis, for his part, never made her uncomfortable: he did nothing but chuckle (or try to do it so that it looked human), and then he tilted his head to the other side, his ears stiff and alert.

"I can confirm you’re _hot_ ” he teased, shameless, “but I’m afraid we meant two different things with that word, didn’t we? If you’re really complaining about the climate, just don’t: it’s for old people, I should do it. And then it’s just February, it’s nothing compare to the true warmth of this land."

"How do you bear it with that fur?"

Anubis shrugged his muscular shoulders, with no clothing.

“To have fur is perfect here, it protects from sunburn. Hades envies it so much." Saying that, he ran a finger over his biceps, proud of his smooth, dark coat. For a moment, Caterina wondered if in his eyes she looked like a disgusting lower being, pink and hairless.

Finally, as if waking up from the narcissistic adoration of his own fur, he looked again at the girl. With the same finger with which he was stroking his arm, he called her to him, in an allusive way. Caterina approached, shamelessly and with an attitude that was more sarcastic than seduced.

"Sad time to hang around all alone, _Kitty Cat_ " he began, putting his usual, veiled eroticism into words, while Caterina was just astonished he really had called her that "I hope our cackles haven’t woken you up."

He mentioned the room and Caterina sensed he was referring to him and the concubines. But she wasn’t impressed and crossed her arms too, mirroring him.

“No, I couldn't sleep for… the heat” Anubis instinctively chuckled and Caterina rolled her eyes, trying to contain herself, “stop laughing, please! And then, I could ask you the same question: why are you here all alone? Don't you have your other _kittens_ to please?"

“ _I was catching my breath._ "

And he winked at her, playful and seductive at the same time. Caterina held back laughter and embarrassment, shaking her head and disapproving. But she couldn’t deny or hide that she felt pierced by that pointed look, by those two small and glassy marbles he had for eyes.

"You know, Caterina?" the God resumed, his voice low as if he were about to make an indecent proposal, “I’ve got here a very effective remedy to calm down _your heat_. Can I help you?"

Caterina shook her head again, stood a few steps away from him, giggling embarassed.

"I think what you have in mind would make me even _hotter_ , so no, thanks."

The jackal gritted his jaws a little. Not angry. Teased, rather.

"Kitty Cat, please, behave. If you want, I’ll be very happy to be satisfy you that way. But I meant a real remedy."

Caterina opened her mouth to reply sarcastically, but she didn't make it in time: Anubis had pulled something out of a pocket of his tunic, rolled up on his abs and just to hide from the waist down. That something turned out to be a blue glass flask with a cork. The God turned it over in his clawed hands and showed it to the girl.

"As I said, a remedy."

"I bet it's drugs."

“It's a lotion. Why do you paint me with such a bad reputation? And I also anticipated the lightness of your soul, something that should never be done" at that point, finally, he detached himself from the wall and leaned towards her, as if to speak in the ear, "are you atheists always so ungrateful?"

Caterina took a step back, terrified. Anubis wasn’t threatening her: he had the same playful tone as before. But he was tall in comparison, massive and dark: having him so close was like being covered by the night itself, light disappeared in his presence. His sharp teeth were still a problem, it wasn’t easy to find them close and pretend nothing happened.

But Cate knew only one way of easing tension and embarrassment, and it was sarcasm. Even at the cost of causing further tension and embarrassment.

"I bet it's Vaseline."

Anubis, as usual, played along: he sneered and opened the bottle. Soon after, he brought it close to her face and made her sniff the contents. Immediately, Caterina had to leave, with tears in her eyes: it was strong, whatever it was.

“If you want to use it as a lubricant, I have no objections. But I don’t think you’d enjoy it, it's very mentholated."

Caterina stepped back, rubbing her irritated nose. She was about to sneeze. He had never smelled anything so intense.

"What is it?"

“Secret ingredients, sorry. You’ll have to die before I reveal them."

Caterina disapproved and at the same time appreciated his black humor. Instead of replying with the same tone, however, she decided to ask a real question.

"Isn’t it too strong for you? You must have a good sense of smell. I already know about your hearing, thanks to that conference."

Anubis chuckled in a way that made him sound like a hyena. To tell the truth, it was difficult to identify his nature, and not only because it was anthropomorphic: even just his animal part didn’t correspond to a single canid. He looked like a kind of shaved-haired Dobermann dog, but the ears were larger, like a jackal, and the nose was that of a wolf.

"I'm used to it" he explained, starting to pour some ointment on his hands, "it comes from embalming, you know, to cover the smell of death. Don't make that face, I didn't squeeze it from a mummy. I just found out it's good for the living too."

He closed the bottle and put it back in the pocket. Finally, he rubbed his large, dark hands and opened them in the direction of the girl, clearly offering to massage her.

Caterina wrinkled her nose, undecided. She looked back, almost hoping to see someone arrive, perhaps Persephone coming to her rescue. But why, after all? The idea of giving in to his advances wasn’t that disgusting, to tell the truth...

She looked at the God again. He was still in the same position, waiting for her. Smiling, easygoing. Caterina decided to give in.

She approached and eliminated the last step between them. Anubis smiled. Or rather, he pulled his cheeks, seemed satisfied and not at all surprised that the girl had let go.

From then on, his way of being _intentionally_ seductive emerged clearly _._ He tended to be charming by his own predisposition, since he usually put a natural elegance in his movements and looks, to almost always allude to something erotic. But when he got serious, oh, he knew how to be very clear about his intentions. In fact, from that moment he touched her with the tips of his fingers, following her neck in a caress so light as to slip like silk. Caterina realized she was screwed.

She closed her eyes, letting go, aware that she hadn't fought much. It wasn’t a good sign. It wasn't at all.

Anubis massaged her tense neck and then, getting a little heavier in his touch, but never too quick or impatient, he went behind her shoulders, slipping a few inches too much into the neckline of her shirt. His smooth hands flowed over her like the caress of a fabric and, in the meantime, the icy ointment refreshed her skin.

She didn’t have the courage to open her eyes, well aware that his languid and pleased gaze would await her. The look of a God who enjoys the ease with which mortals are manipulated.

His hands, with the claws tickling her skin, began to go deeper than the neckline of her shirt. His muscular arms pulled her closer. The cold of the ointment began to contrast too much with her incandescent embarrassment.

Caterina exhaled, feeling lost, as if she weren’t really in her body. She wondered if Anubis had any power she wasn’t aware of, only to not admit that she was letting herself be seduced without the slightest obstacle.

She swallowed. She dared to open her eyes, and then she found herself right in front of his chest, completely black. From there, she could count the tiny hairs of his satin coat, caressed by bright shades. And, right in the center, the bend of the tattooed golden ankh. Or, better said, imprinted. Even the hair was of a different color, it seemed part of him.

Caterina got lost to look at the symbol, which framed his breastbone, at heart level. Curiously, she wondered if there was actually a heart under there. If it really beat, if it pumped blood and if... well, if it could stop, sooner or later. Like hers. 

"You shouldn't be thinking about these things" suddenly, his deep voice, as if he had read her mind, "you still have many beats, Caterina."

The girl looked up and saw the face of the God pointing down at her. She never knew if he had really read her thoughts or only sensed them.

"You mean, heartbeats?" she asked, swallowing, trying to sound detached and not at all involved in the situation.

"Mm. I can count them, for every mortal. Yours are still numerous."

Caterina smiled, not so sure she could believe him. She had a feeling that the Gods often bragged about things they didn't know at all.

“I think you're doing me too many spoilers on my mortality, Anubis. This behavior isn’t very divine. Don't you have Mysteries?"

The jackal pretended to have been exposed.

"I’d tell you the secrets of the origin of the universe just to drag you to my bed."

Caterina's eyes widened, surprised by such insolence. She started to open her mouth, but just then the golden bedroom door next to them opened wide. Neferu, the hairless dark grey cat, came out laughing out loud, staggering with somewhat uncoordinated steps. She too was naked from the waist up, her small, dark breasts hopping to the rhythm of her giggles.

She turned to look for Anubis: she must have come to call him. Immediately, however, she stopped, noticing Caterina’s presence. The girl, for her part, jerked back and parted from the God, slipping off in his arms. She took a few steps back and looked away, embarrassed.

"Caterina, what are you, a grasshopper? Why do you jump like that?" the jackal teased her, amused, "Leve these dramatic reactions to the boring monogamists, I don't want them in this house. _Neferu? Tueal hna_. _Takwin sidaqat_."[1]

He discarded the last sentence in Egyptian, sounding ancient, like a prophecy, and accompanied the directive with a gesture of the hand. Cheerfully, Neferu approached and came to keep them company. She rubbed on Anubis, then curled her triangle nose to the smell of the ointment. The God said something to her ear and, although Caterina didn't understand, she knew they were talking about her.

" _'Iinah yaetaqid 'anak ghaywr ealayha_."[2]

" _'Ana ghaywr 'iidha lm tadeha_."[3]

After Neferu's prompt response, scratchy as was her nature, Anubis chuckled. Caterina felt enormously teased.

"Oh, yeah" said the God sarcastically, pretending to translate a great discovery, "she confirmed that I can speak in her name, she likes you. So? _Would you like to come in?_ "

Caterina's eyes widened. No. No. Not really. No. Absolutely not.

She took another step back, her hands up like a thief, under the amused eyes of Neferu and Anubis. Finally, she shook her head in annoyance.

“No, that's not really the case. I'd better go back to the room. Alone."

“Don't be afraid, Kitty Cat. There’s nothing wrong in being curious."

He winked at her again, and this time it was even more effective. Caterina, feeling the sweat on the back of her neck mixing with the cold of the ointment, chuckled nervously.

She swallowed, undecided. Curious? Well, yes, she was. But there were too many problems, too many things telling her she shouldn't do it. First of all, she had known him for a few hours at the most: sleeping with him right away didn’t seem to her like a wise choice. Secondly, he was a God, or at least an immensely more powerful being than her, and it was possible he could hide ulterior motives. Third, he was probably inviting her to an orgy with six other women. And what else? Oh, right: Anubis was a dog. It was supposed to be another deterrent for normal people, wasn't it?

But, to be honest, she wasn't sure of that last observation. It was precisely the fact that he wasn’t human that attracted her so much. Had it been any other God she wouldn't have cared, she wouldn't even have accepted the invitation in another country. But Anubis was... yes, interesting, perhaps precisely because he was one of those beings she couldn’t explain at all, in rational terms. 

"Look, yes, I'm curious," she admitted, also because she had the feeling that denying would’ve been useless, "but come on, be objective, it's not... a good idea. We don't even know each other..."

Anubis shrugged again, shook his head, amused and heedless. Every slightest movement conveyed how much Caterina's concerns were simple trifles of a naive human in his eyes.

"Mortals!" he complained dreamily, “You have such short lives, yet so little desire to make the most of them. I'll never understand you."

"It's not that difficult" Caterina replied, stubborn, annoyed that he was treating her sufficiently, "precisely because we’re mortals, we have an instinct for conservation. Mine says not to fuck a seven-feet jackal who could tear me to pieces."

Anubis raised his eyebrows, then an index finger, as if he wanted to admit she had quite a point. Finally, he made his way to the golden door of his room. Neferu followed him and entered, jumping happily, perhaps a little drunk. Anubis, on the other hand, took one last look at the girl, leaning back against the doors.

From that moment, he spoke seriously, in his tremendously sensual and poetic way.

“You’re an intelligent woman, Caterina. In other times, I’d have paid all the pharaonic gold to make you my concubine" he confessed, winking, "but you’re more introverted than you want me to believe and you’re afraid of a carnal group experience that you’re not used to, it’s not about me tearing you to pieces. Modern times lead to modern issues and perhaps you’re afraid of looking... how do you say? An _easy girl_? I certainly can't condemn you for a bit of submission to the stigmas of society, even if I don't approve of them. Just know that there’s no one here to judge you and you could afford to spend the night with a group of animals like us without feeling guilty. If you really prefer to sleep alone, however, I won’t hold you back" he sighed and pushed the doors with his shoulders, backing away, "as a God of the dead, however, I feel compelled to remind you that you’ll have plenty of time to _sleep_ , when your heartbeats will be over."

He shot a last wink, and finally the door behind him opened, admitting him inside and immediately closing. 

Caterina was alone.

She tightened her lips, looked over her shoulder, as if the hallway from which she had come could’ve disappeared at any moment. But no, it was still there, just as there was the possibility of leaving. So why wasn't she leaving?

She approached the door, looking at the carved hieroglyphics for a moment. She closed her eyes, shook her head, her blond tuft falling in front of her face. She was about to make a decision that she could never have imagined in her wildest dreams. Maybe she would regret it. Maybe she would go crazy about it for decades in the future. But she had no way of knowing it, and instead she knew for sure that her heartbeats would end. On that Anubis was totally right.

She swallowed, nervous, excited, curious, unsure.

And she knocked on the door.

* * *

_[1] Neferu? Come here, get friendly with her._

_[2] She thinks you’re jealous._

_[3] I’m jealous if you don’t invite her._


	2. Seventy-three, Love and Desire

"Ah, here she is!" Anubis couldn’t help but make fun of her, opening the door, "I confess that for a moment I feared you were serious."

Caterina took a step forward, feeling confused: inside it was darker and the room so large that she couldn’t see the end of it. Also, there was smoke hovering in the environment: probably hookah.

"I just came to take a look." She replied, sarcastic.

"Of course. Just a look."

He only indulged her in words, though. As soon as she was inside, in fact, he reached out and combed her blond tuft backwards, passing his claws between the light locks. It was less erotic as a gesture than before, more playful, perhaps aimed mostly at making her relax.

" _Miit!_" he immediately announced, aloud, " _Tueal hna! Ladayna dayf_."[1]

He was talking to the cats, it was evident. In fact, immediately all six of them answered the call and rushed. They emerged from the dark fog, each of them almost naked, welcoming Caterina with enthusiasm: they surrounded her, a couple of them approached her face to moisten her cheeks with their muzzle, in a sort of kiss; Neferu, the pack leader, took her hands in hers and welcomed her with a bow.

When she got up, however, she folded her ears, undecided. She looked better at the girl's hands and turned to Anubis.

" _'Iinaha tartaeish._ "[2]

" _'Iinaha khujulat jidda. Taetad ealayha._ "[3]

After replying, Anubis smiled and turned back to Caterina, in Italian. Not perfect, always a little cracked in an Arabic accent.

“Don't be afraid, Kitty Cat. Come on in, come on in. In truth, I think I gave you the wrong idea of what you would find here. We were just smoking hookahs and playing cards, join us."

"Your games involve wearing few clothes."

Anubis looked at her from head to toe, smiling sarcastically, one ear bent and his head tilted. For a moment, he seemed about to turn the accusation, because Cate too was half naked. But he didn't.

"We don't like clothes," he confessed, winking, "we have fur, we usually put on clothes just for you emotional mortals."

He wasn’t lost in further justifications. And only then, somehow, Caterina realized that she _really_ wasin the midst of a large group of Egyptian, anthropomorphic, polyamorous and nudist deities.

Sometimes life leads to strange paths.

However, the jackal led her to a corner of the room, elevated by a few decorated ceramic steps. There, in a circle on the ground, there were numerous rugs, blankets, cushions; in the center, a hookah throwing smoke and steam and various scattered cards. All around, the environment was made more welcoming by numerous plants, in large pots in the corners and hanging from the ceiling. Right next to the circle of carpets and cushions, the exit to the dark terrace, in many arches decorated with bas-reliefs.

The cats returned to sit on their pillows, picking up the bunches of cards they had left unattended, their faces turned to the floor. Anubis pushed Caterina between the shoulders to encourage her to join. Finally, he positioned herself next to her, lying on the ground on her side and resting his elbow on a padded red cushion.

"We were playing the Egyptian tarot cards," he explained, in a good mood, "and I was losing. Since gods don’t lose, I better retire."

He left his cards to the cat he had on his right and the others complained playfully. The lucky one, however, made a noisy purr.

That was the moment when Caterina noticed how he was particularly connected to _that_ concubine in particular. He seemed to have a special relationship with her. Well, even with Neferu, to be honest: but with the latter he gave the feeling of being more connected just because of a longer time spent together: she was visibly the oldest, as well as the one who communicated with him to organize events, games, and other amenities. She was the dominant.

The other cat, however, was different.

Her name was Sibaari and she was often silent. She was white as a polar winter, the only one in the group. She was so clear that she shone in the dark and always seemed somehow sharper than the others. Her fur was the longest and silkier, and she used to comb it often, even just with her fingers and claws. And finally, her eyes: two almonds blue as the Caribbean sea.

Anubis was always by her side, he seemed to be particularly caring with her. Caterina had already noticed it at dinner, but now it was more blatant: the jackal often pampered her, spoiled her, fiddled with her ears or with her bushy tail, provoking arousal in her. The others didn't seem to care.

Anyway, the current game resumed. In the meantime, Caterina tried the hookah, tasty, flavored with watermelon. Anubis took possession of the discarded cards and showed them to the girl, naming them. In fact, she didn’t know that kind of deck: they were tarot cards, numbered from one to seventy-eight, and they were not easy to identify because they had no fixed figures. Each card was unique: they often represented hieroglyphics, animals or pharaohs, all of them with a different and particular name.

Anubis tried to explain the rules of the game, but soon Caterina, laughing, had to admit that she wasn’t understanding anything at all. At the end of the game, the God had an idea to involve her:

"Okay, let's try something different," he said, excited, shuffling the deck and placing it in the center of the circle, "each of us will draw one arcane every round. The highest number for each round wins the right to choose who among the other players will have to take off a clothing accessory."

Caterina's eyes widened. Laughing, she complained.

"What is it, a kind of _strip black jack_? It’s not fair, you're already practically naked!"

"You have an advantage, don't you?"

"It doesn't make sense! You have to get dressed."

Anubis chuckled and, playing with one of his gold earrings, agreed: in his mysterious language he said something to the cats, who immediately looked around to find blankets and veils to put on. They seemed excited about the unusual game, to be honest.

The game started. Anubis left Caterina the honor of drawing the top card and so, amused, excited and agitated, she did it. She trembled a little before looking at it, but then she turned it.

She heaved a sigh of relief.

"Ah, nice round, Caterina," complimented Anubis, who was peering curiously, " _Seventy-three: Love and Desire_. It’s also spot on, may I dare to point out."

It was time for Anubis to draw. Unlike Caterina, he didn’t hesitate at all: as soon as he had an immediate look at the card, he howled a lament and seemed about to throw it away, while the concubines laughed after him.

_Five: the Hierarch._

It must have been an unfortunate evening for him. Even worse, since the card represented Anubis himself on a golden background, and was one of the lowest number in the deck.

The others also drew their cards and Caterina was the winner of the round. Then everyone turned to her, praying in incomprehensible languages to choose someone else: Anubis shook his head, pretending to be heartbroken, Neferu indicated him and suggested to punish him, Sibaari hinted at someone else and so on.

At first, Caterina wondered what to do. Common sense would have suggested her to choose one of the cats that was naked until a minute ago, perhaps Neferu, because she knew her better than the others. Then, however, an unexpected and exciting courage went up Caterina’s body and instilled the idea of playing dirty. What did she had to lose? If she had wanted to back down, she wouldn't even have entered the room.

"Anubis, you have the lowest number, you deserve it... and then I don't like that women are always undressing for you." She insinuated, smiling slyly. The cats, even if they didn't understand the exact words, cheered for the choice.

The jackal looked at her defiantly, staring like a hunting dog. Maybe he didn't expect her to be so bold either.

"I don't have much to take off." He tried to war her, hinting at the tunic badly knotted at his waist, the only thing covering his shapes.

"Your problem. If you had listened to me and got dressed, you wouldn't have lost on the first round."

Anubis thinned his eyes and folded his ears, jingling the ornaments. Finally, with an indecently fraudulent air, he took off a ring and threw it in the direction of the girl. It landed between Caterina's crossed legs with a jingle, and the complaint was immediately unanimous.

"Hey! You’re cheating!"

"Oh, am I?"

"You said _clothing_!"

"I said _accessories_."

He laughed, while Sibaari, next to him, acted resentful more than the others. Caterina, on the other hand, looked at all the knick-knacks on his body: rings, bracelets, anklets and earrings… She realized that the game would never end for him.

The only problem? He wasn’t the only one with the knick-knacks.

"Anubis," the girl said, intrepid, "if you take off the jewels, I take off the piercings. And I have a ton."

"I do count just a couple."

“A couple, yes. _Visible_."

And this time, she winked back. Anubis, pleasantly surprised, got up from the pillow and went back to sit near her face. Now, Caterina could feel his breath, warm and abundant, lighting her with desire along her neck, where the ointment still refreshed her skin.

"I don’t believe it." He uttered, seductive, shady.

"Weird, I was the one who doesn't believe."

He gritted his teeth, teased, playful.

“Well, then I declare myself an atheist towards your genital piercings, Kitty Cat. I won't accept your challenge if you don't show them to us."

“Show them, my ass! I'm not the one who drew the low card. You’ll have to trust my word."

“Are you introducing gambling into this _clean and moderate environment_? Bad kitten!" the jackal growled, now shaking with uncontainable thrill, as if standing still cost him a lot of effort, “Even if you have all those piercings, _and I doubt it_ , they can’t be so many to overcome mine, all concentrated on your pussy. I think I’ll take the risk and compete with my jewels anyway."

"Well then. Prepare not to see me naked from here at the end of the week."

At that point, she must have challenged or frightened him enough, because his face, always so difficult to interpret because of his animal features, changed drastically. From flirting and playful, he became more penetrating, less _human._ He clenched his jaw and snorted with his muzzle, in a more animalistic gesture than he usually did. After that, he went back to collapse on the pillow. With one hand, he unfastened his tunic. He got rid of it. And he was naked.

Caterina pursed her lips as she saw what was in front of her. The total shamelessness of the God, lying with legs wide open, left nothing to her imagination; and no, not even the fur was enough to make him less indecent.

The girl got stuck. She didn't know what she had expected, to tell the truth: she had never taken it for granted that Anubis down there was entirely human. But, well, seeing it directly was a different story.

His sex was indeed _very_ similar to that of a dog.

It was more retracted than the human one, when he was at rest. The tip was of a bright pink, surrounded by a crown of thick skin and covered with fur.

Caterina swallowed and realized that she had stayed a second too long staring at him. Anubis, impudent, seemed to be holding back a loud laugher. If he had eyebrows, he would’ve raised them, sarcastic and impertinent.

"You can keep the ring, Kitty Cat."

Caterina swallowed again and knew she had become the same color as the the cushions. She looked elsewhere and met Neferu, with the same flat look as bored cats, shaking her head. She was disapproving of Anubis’ behavior. She looked like someone who has endured the exhibitionism of God for hundreds of years.

"Well," said Caterina, to divert attention, "I'd say you've lost."

"Nah, nah! It’s game over just when we have nothing more to take off, so I have one more round at least. Don't try to drive me out, Caterina, we’re still in _my_ room."

The girl held back a chuckle and forced herself not to lower her gaze anymore, even if she had it in front of her and the perspective of the environmental lines focused entirely on his groin.

Fortunately, the game resumed allowing her to get distracted and relax. If she had to acknowledge something to Anubis and the cats, it was that they took their time for everything. And time consolidates habit, until even the most embarrassing nudity becomes just normal.

They played three more rounds and Caterina was always lucky: not so much to win, but to avoid the striptease (or, perhaps, it was the pity of the cats that saved her). Little by little, the others returned to undress their improvised clothes, until only Caterina, Sibaari and Khalifa, another hairless cat, were left.

But luck had stopped turning on Caterina's side, and in fact Anubis drew an excellent card. _Seventy-eight: Rebirth._ The highest card, which didn’t allow the other participants to even draw.

Anubis widened a sly grimace. He bent one leg, lifting the knee, making himself even more shameless. And, to her great disappointment, he stared at Caterina.

The girl rolled her eyes.

“Kitten, you have no right to complain. You did this to me!" with a gesture he hinted at himself, with a false violated and betrayed tone of voice, "Sorry, but I'm a vindictive God."

He tossed the card, twirling it in the air, and it landed where the ring had arrived just before.

"Will you stop throwing things at me?"

“I just wanted to show you that I'm not cheating. Read carefully, it really is seventy-eight."

“I bet you had it hidden in your ear. The size is perfect."

Anubis growled softly, amused, and smoothed his stiff ears backwards, bragging about them.

“It's thanks to these ears if I heard that inappropriate joke of yours at the conference, Kitty Cat. You wouldn't be here having fun with us, otherwise."

Caterina nodded and agreed. She also understood that it was really her turn to undress. She couldn’t avoid it forever. To tell the truth, she _didn't want to._

Embarrassment ignited her skin again, so she decided to do it quickly, like tearing the wax. She crossed her arms, lifted her shirt and removed it.

She had nothing underneath, except her panties. She remained with her eyes downcast looking at herself between her breasts. She wasn’t brave enough to look up at the others. She only heard the cats murmuring unknown words of encouragement to her, perhaps telling her not to be ashamed; but still he could not raise her head, her breath cut in her throat.

" _Caterina_."

Anubis' voice, this time serious, dark, direct. Not as playful as it had always been throughout the evening, but dry and sharp, more like a bark than a real word. At that point, the girl felt compelled to look at him.

For a moment, she found Anubis authoritative, attentive and alert, like a guard dog. His ears, turned forward, stiffer than ever. His gaze was fixed like a hunting animal.

It only lasted a second. Then, slowly, his muscles relaxed. A smile appeared.

" _You are more beautiful than the sunset over Karnak_."

Caterina felt her muscles relax all at once, letting her shoulders drop as if freed of a great weight. A kind of delicious lethargy took hold of her from then on and never left her for the rest of the night.

"Well, you do know how to compliment..."

Anubis raised his nose, satisfied. He rose from his cushion and reached her on his knees, however much taller than she was. The cats, silently, looked at her encouragingly, without embarrassment.

"You know, Kitten, my heart hurts seeing you so tense," he spoke sincerely, kindly, without a touch of seduction as he passed a velvety finger on her cheek, "there is nothing to fear here, I’d swear it on Osiris’ soul."

"It's just that... it's a weird situation and then... I haven't shaved."

It came out instinctively. She didn't know how much it really worried her, maybe it was just an excuse. But she kept thinking that perhaps Anubis appreciated humans precisely because he expected to find them as smooth as Neferu.

The God, however, sounded genuinely amused.

"I might haven’t noticed, but we're not ones to fear hairs."

"Yours are beautiful."

“Yours are blond. I love light furs."

Caterina took courage and looked at him. For the umpteenth time, he was winking at her. At that point, she laughed and let herself go. She relaxed.

“I dream of you at night, since I saw you at the conference. With or without boy hairs." The jackal consoled her, now with his nose an inch from her cheek, tapping her like a dog asking for attention, making her laugh even louder.

Then suddenly his hand went down, and Cate felt the large knuckle of one finger on her nipple. Playful, he rotated one of the piercings.

"At least you weren't bluffing on this," he joked, cheerfully, "I was hoping for it, I had high expectations. I hope to find more of them further south."

Caterina chuckled, but at the same time she became increasingly aware of his closeness. Now he was pressed against her. Never pushing, especially thanks to his way of taking the situation ironically. But anyway, now that the physical and emotional membrane had been broken, Caterina was aware that he would move on to the next stage.

"Game over, Kitty Cat," he announced, in fact, in a deep voice, his hand heavier in surrounding her entire breast, "what do you want to do? Do you want to stay here and experience _something new_ , or do you want to go back to your room? I won’t insist, I won’t try to convince you."

Caterina closed her eyes, enjoyed his touch. Well... in her opinion, stroking her like that was wasn’t exactly “ _not insisting_ ” or “ _not trying to convince her_ ”.

"I want to stay."

That consent came from a part of her that she still believed to be forgotten: a small sliver of her personality, free from any stigma of society, or any moral rule.

"Well," Anubis said, sighing, perhaps more excited than she was, "then let go and don't think about anything. We need your muscles to be relaxd: I want to _knot you_ tonight."

* * *

[1] Kittens! Come here! We have a visitor.

[2] She’s trembling.

[3] She’s very shy. Let her get used to us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas, folks!  
> I'm soooo sorry for the delay. A lot of things happened in these crazy months, and my free time was MURDERED. But I still exist, and here I am! As I said on Instagram, I'll try to resume the translation of this story during the holidays, so to publish chapters at least weekly. They're just seven to go after all, it's not such a complex work. But, I must admit, I'm already TERRIFIED and SWEATING for the next one, lol.  
> Trying my best to stay calm and confident, I wish you a joyful Christmas. Love you, and until next time!


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